In unincorporated Pinellas County, Chapter 138 of the Land Development Code allows home occupations as accessory uses in residential districts, subject to specific use standards in Article IX that preserve neighborhood character.
Pinellas County's Land Development Code Chapter 138 governs zoning across unincorporated areas, including communities like Lealman, Palm Harbor, East Lake, and Tierra Verde. Home occupations are permitted as accessory residential uses when they remain clearly incidental to the dwelling. Article IX, Division 2 establishes specific use standards requiring activities to be conducted entirely within the dwelling, limiting non-resident employees, prohibiting outdoor storage of business materials, and barring uses that produce noise, odor, vibration, or traffic atypical of a residential area. The county's Development Review Services administers these provisions, and incorporated cities such as Clearwater and St. Petersburg apply their own municipal codes.
Operating a home business outside Chapter 138 standards can result in code enforcement citations, special magistrate hearings, and daily civil penalties typically up to $250 per day, escalating to $500 for repeat violations.
Pinellas County, FL
Chapter 138 of the Pinellas County Land Development Code restricts signage in residential zoning districts, generally barring commercial business signs at ho...
Pinellas County, FL
Florida Statute 500.80 broadly preempts local regulation of cottage food operations, allowing Pinellas County residents to produce certain non-hazardous food...
Pinellas County, FL
Pinellas County's Chapter 138 specific use standards require that home occupations in unincorporated areas avoid generating traffic, parking demand, or activ...
See how Pinellas County's zoning restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.